What are the responsibilities and job description for the Interpreter for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Students position at Hamilton County Schools?
Overview
Hamilton County Schools, located in Chattanooga, TN, is working to ensure that all students thrive and experience a future without limits. We are committed to excellence for every student and are seeking outstanding leaders, teachers, support staff, and district employees who desire to make a difference in the lives of students. With nearly 75 schools, we are confident that you can find your place in Hamilton County.
Learn more about working for Hamilton County Schools at careers.hcde.org and get to know us and our strategic plan, Opportunity 2030.
The purpose of this job is to facilitate communication between students with hearing impairments and their hearing peers, the classroom teacher, and other personnel in the school systems under the direction of the general education or special education teacher.
Responsibilities
- Acts in a professional, respectful, and welcoming manner at all times.
- Creates a customer-focused climate and provides quality services and support to school and other stakeholders.
- Complies with applicable district, state, and federal codes, laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures.
- Provides sign to voice/voice to sign interpreting which may include American Sign Language, a form of manually coded English, and/or oral interpreting depending on the needs of the student.
- Provides academic support through interpreting and translating data and information that reinforces skills introduced by the general education or special education teacher.
- Implements, under the supervision of assigned teacher, instructional/behavioral programs and lesson plans for the purpose of assisting the teacher in improving students’ academic and life skill success through a defined course of study.
- Interprets at various meetings as requested (e.g. IEP (Individual Education Plan), individual teacher/parent conference, etc.) for the purpose of receiving and/or conveying information with deaf or hearing impaired participants. Note: These activities/meetings may extend beyond the school day. Interpreter will be paid for all hours worked and in accordance with FLSA regulations.
- Assists the teacher in the daily check and maintenance of auditory trainers, personal hearing aids, and other equipment related to the students’ needs.
- Monitors activities and behavior of students during the presence or absence of teacher to ensure an environment that is safe and conducive to learning. Mediates disputes between students; handles situations involving excessive noise, disruptive behavior, or other problems in a respectful, firm manner.
- Provides academic assistance and support for individual and/or small groups of students as directed by and under the supervision of the general education or special education teacher.
- Assists teacher with evaluating student progress on a regular basis and provides feedback to students and parents in a mode of communication understandable to parents.
- Escorts students to and from classrooms as needed.
- Documents records of learning activities and/or tutoring sessions.
- Assists teachers in the preparation of instructional materials and maintenance of special education records.
- Communicates through the proper channels to keep supervisor and other appropriate personnel informed of impending problems or events of unusual nature.
- Follows established procedures for ensuring assigned areas are safe.
- Works collaboratively with school staff, students, parents, and other stakeholders.
- Attends work and arrives to work on time.
- Maintains confidentiality.
- Adheres to the Teacher Code of Ethics as defined by Tennessee Law.
- Attends meetings and/or makes phone calls as directed by the teacher or administrator.
- Attends professional development as required.
- Prepares or completes various forms, reports, correspondence as required.
- Operates a computer to enter, retrieve, review or modify data; verifies accuracy of entered data and makes corrections; operates general office/school equipment.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Knowledge/Education/Experience:
Associate’s degree preferred. Overall score of 4.0 or above on the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) preferred. Two (2) years of experience and/or training related to deaf and/or hearing impaired students or adults. Or, any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this position.
Skills/Qualifications:
- Ability to interpret spoken English at a rate appropriate for expected job performance.
- Ability to interpret or translate for a group of deaf and /or hearing impaired persons.
- Ability to understand and translate academic language to the cognitive level of the student.
- Ability to use technology to complete essential functions of job.
- Ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Ability to calculate decimals, percentages, and ratios.
- Demonstrates a breadth of subject matter knowledge that enables students to approach and to connect topics from a variety of perspectives, interests, and points of view.
- Ability to use current references, materials, and technologies of the subject field in a manner appropriate to the developmental stage of the learner.
- Ability to check student comprehension of subject matter and provide accurate feedback to students.
Compensation:
Salary is based on a combination of relevant education and experience.
Grade E
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